Jeremy Corbyn re-elected as LP leader with increased mandate

We are pleased that Jeremy Corbyn who Hastings and Rye Labour Party nominated as leader has been re-elected with an increased mandate. In 2015 he received 59.5% of first preference votes: this year 61.8%.

Out of 506,438 votes cast, Jeremy Corbyn received 313,209, with Owen Smith taking 193,229. That’s 61.8 per cent of the vote for Corbyn and just 38.2 per cent for Smith.

Jeremy had a clear majority in all three categories of voters:

How full members voted:

Corbyn: 168,216 59%

Smith: 116,960 : 41%

How registered supporters – who paid £25 for the privilege – voted:

Corbyn: 84,918 70%

Smith: 36,599 30%

How affiliated supporters (in trade unions etc) voted:

Corbyn: 60,075 60%

Smith: 39,670 : 40%

A breakdown of votes can be found on the Guardian website. There is an interesting comment on the Telegraph website (at 12.34pm) on what the paper calls Owen Smith’s ‘pointless’ challenge: ‘Owen Smith’s leadership challenge was a waste of time and space and – surprise, surprise – he has lost, 62-38 per cent. He offered no serious, alternative manifesto; no great record of office; and not even a glimmer of charisma. His defeat – easily predicted – has actually strengthened Corbyn’s leadership. It was the political equivalent of the Charge of the Light Brigade.

More extraordinary has been the reporting of Laura Kuenssberg who managed to cover Jeremy’s election in the BBC news at 6 on Saturday 24th September in a tone rather different to her recent practice. Long may this continue…